Refrigerator car



April so, 1940; A. A. HELWIG 2.198.772

REFRIGERATOR CAR Filed May s, 1959 A lil-'lll I Patented Apr. 30, 1940 fe UNITED `STATES PATENT OFFICE f f g,19s,772f

REFRIGERAToR CAR Arthur A. Helwig, Chicago, Ill., assignor to StandardRailway Refrigerator Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware iApplication May 3,` 1939,` serialNo. 271,428

` 2 claims; (ci. caf-171 This invention relates to refrigerator carsused totransport perishable commodities at a predetermined temperature.The essential features of `a refrigerator car are an` insulated .bodytoprevent or retard ingress of heat during warm Weather and egress of heat`during cold weather and a cooling or heating `means depending upon theprevailing outside temperature.

`This invention applies particularlyto cars in which the cooling means,preferably containers `for water ice, eutectic ice, brine or` dry ice,lare suspended immediately below the ceiling of the fear. The ladingissupportedin spaced relation tothe floor by a foraminous rack.` Flues,preferably associated with the side Walls of the car,

i `cominunicate between the refrigerant compartment and the space underthe floor rack to provide a path for the circulation of air. The path is`from the refrigerant compartment downwardly through the aforementionediiues,` through the space under the floor rack, and upwardly throughthe` lading compartment to the refrigerant compantment. Y

i An object of the invention is to provide a great- `er area` associatedwith the refrigerant container. The amount by which airis cooled uponpassing over a .cold object is dependent upon the` extent of the surfaceof the cold object and upon the velocity of the air movement.`Consequently, I provide conduits adapted to'be embedded in therefrigerant andhaving means to direct the circulating airthrough theconduits, the air being cooled during passage therethrough. The addi`tional surface of the conduits adds to the refrigerating eiiiciency ofthe container.v

A further object of the invention is to `position substantially thelowest which may be obtained with the particular refrigerant being used.

It is another object of the inventionto utilize the above-mentionedconduits as a reinforcing or f stiifening meansfor the refrigerantcontainer.

`Another object of the invention is to provide means to directa portionofthe circulating air i `through the aforementioned conduits and a por-`l will be apparent from the following detailed `de,-y

scription by referring to the` accompanying drawingi Fig. 1 is a partialtransverse section of a refrigerator car embodyingmy invention..`

, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on line 2-2 of `are insulated roof 2,side Wall 3, iloor 4, hatch 5,

refrigerant lcontainer 6, side wall flue l, foraminous oor rack Bandspace 9 between rack 8 and floor 4. 'I'he refrigerant container 6 isposi*-` tioned directly below the roof 2 and adjacent the side wall 3. A-drip pan I2 is provided 4below the container` 6 and a partition i4issecured in an upstanding position at3the edge of the drip pan I2...The drip pan I2 and partition I4 cooperate .with the roof 2 and sidewall 3` to form an enclosing `structure II around the container 6, anairinletopening. I 5 being provided by lspacing the partition I4 fromthe roof 2. An air discharge opening I'I which lead-s `to the flue 'I isformed b spacing the drip pan I2 from the wall 3 Air circulation is asfollows: Air in the lading compartment I8 is warmed by contact with thelading and rises to enter the enclosing structure II through the airinlet opening I5.` The airis cooled by contact With the refrigerantcontainer 6 and falls by reason of its greater density through 1 thedischarge opening I1 and flue I to the space said conduits so that thetemperature thereof is 9 whence it rises throughthe rack 8 to the ladingcompartment I8. Cars of this type usually have a row of refrigerantcontainers near each wall and directly belowgthe roof so that airflowing from the lading compartment flows between the containersldisposeduon opposite sides of the car.

In Figs. 1 and 2, the refrigerant container` 25 has secured insidethereof a plurality of conduits 26, which conduits extend between thecontainer side 28 `adjacent the refrigerator Wall 3 and the containerside 29 opposite therefrom. The conduits 26 have communication with theexterior of the container through the sides 28, 29 so that air may flowfrom the inlet opening I5 through the conduits 26 to the dischargeopening I'I. 'Ihe conduits 26 are preferably spaced from each other andfrom the bottom 3| of the container so that the refrigerant inthecontainer may surround the conduits 26 and also be in intimate tween andfrom the wall 3 to form the passage 36. It is intended that a portion ofthe circulating air flow through the passages 35, 36, as showntbyc thearrows in Fig. 1. The lower portion36 of the side 28 embracing theconduits 26 preferably spaced from the wall 3 a greater distancethanVthe upper portion of the side 28 to provide addias shown in Fig. 4,substantially in contactwith the roof 2 and wall 3. In this case,theportion 46 of the side 41 is spaced from refrigerator wall 3 so thatair may flow out of the conduits 49;; Itmay be desirable to associate'with thecontainer side. 55 remote from ,the wall 3a deflector to directair into the conduitsj In-Figs. 1`- and 3, a deflector 56 is securednear several conduits 26, i. e.,'the deflector 56 extends uninterruptedadjacent several openings into the conduits '26. The deiiector 56preferably comprises an upstanding portion 51` andra curved portion 59larranged to guide downflowing `air into the conduits. The upstandingportion 51 is preferably spaced from the partition I4 so that a portionof the :air may ow through the duct 60 under the container 25.v

Deiectors 65 as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 may also be provided. Eachdeiiector 65 is disposed adjacent preferably one conduit 49. althougheach deiiector may beassociated with "two or more conduitswithoutdeparting fromlthe spirit of the invention. A deflector 65preferably comprises a curved lower surface 66 for directing air intothe conduits 49 and an upstandingperipheral wall 61 extendingsubstantially around the curved sur. face 66 with its ends abutting thecontainer side 68. `The deflectors 65 are preferably spaced apart toprovide openings 69 therebetween for iiow of a portion of thecirculating air-to the duct -10 below the container 45. *y

It is not .intended to limit the invention to conduits of any particularform. Fig. 2' shows the conduits 26 to be rcircularin cross sectionwhile Fig. 6 showsconduits 15 of square crosssection. It is to beunderstood that vany shapeVsuchas an ellipse, may be usedwithoutdeparting from spirit of the invention.

Fig. 4 shows a modification in which the conduits 49 and bottom of thecontainer 45 are sub- `stantially horizontal while in Fig. 1, theconduits 26 as well as the bottom of the container 25'are inclineddownwardly toward the ue 1 to accelerate the flow ofair therethrough.

The accompanying drawing illustrates the preferred form of theinvention, though it is to be Y.. understood that the invention is notlimited to the Iexact details of construction shown and described, vasitis obvious that various modifications thereof, within the scope of theclaims, will occur to persons skilledV inl the'. art'. Izclairnaf 1. Ina refrigerator having a refrigerant confrigerator walls, a flueassociated with said wall, an enclosing structure for said containerhaving aniair discharge openingleading tosaid flue and anair; inletopening leading from the lading compartment of the refrigerator andymeans to conduct air through saidcontainer inv close contact withthe.'refrigerantv therein, said means comprisingaplurality of conduitsextending between the.` container side adjacent said wall andthecontainer side opposite therefrom and having communication yat bothendsthereof with the eXterior of. Vsaid container, lthe upper portion ofsaid the` tainerbelow the roof adjacent one of the readjacent container4side being substantially` in y contact with. said refrigeratorwall andthe portion of said adjacent4 container side embracing said conduitsbeing spaced from said refrigerator wall.

2. YIn a refrigerator having a. refrigerant container spaced below theroof adjacent one of the refrigerator walls, a iiue associated withfsaidwall', yan enclosing structure for said container having an air`discharge opening leading to said flue andan air inlet opening leadingfrom the lading compartment` of; the yrefrigerator and means toconductair through said container in close contact with the refrigeranttherein, said means comprising a plurality of conduits extending betweenthe container side adjacent said wall

